Don't use your desktop hard drive for a NAS, here's why!
Many first-time NAS buyers get so excited that they click "buy now" immediately, forgetting a crucial detail: what type of hard drive the NAS will use. Not all hard drives are the same, and for stable NAS operation, it's essential to ensure the storage system is designed specifically for its purpose.
Aren't all hard drives the same? Not necessarily.
Basically, all hard drives store data. But they aren't always suitable for every application.
Take the WD Blue – a very popular line of desktop hard drives – as an example. While it offers various speeds and capacities, it's fundamentally designed for desktop computers. Desktop hard drives are optimized for typical usage: running for most of the day, handling light data transfer, and requiring relatively stable cooling. Desktop users rarely move tens or hundreds of terabytes of data annually, and the WD Blue is designed based on that assumption.
Meanwhile, the WD Red line for NAS drives is built entirely differently. Manufacturers clearly state the workload specifications – the amount of data the drive can handle in a year. NAS drives typically have higher-quality components, longer warranties, and firmware specifically designed for RAID. Some desktop drives even use SMR technology, which can easily cause RAID rebuild errors.
Additionally, there are specialized drive lines like WD Purple – optimized for 24/7 surveillance systems. NAS systems can generate heavy read/write bursts at specific times, but camera systems record continuously day and night.
Many desktop drives are not covered under warranty when used in a NAS.
Each hard drive sold comes with a warranty, primarily to address manufacturing defects or early failures. WD Blue typically has a two-year warranty, WD Red Plus three years, and WD Red Pro five years. But the more important factor lies in the warranty conditions. Because manufacturers define desktop drives as intended for desktop use, if they discover they've been connected to a NAS, they can completely refuse warranty coverage due to 'misuse'.
The reason is clear: NAS devices handle a much heavier workload than personal computers. Desktop drives aren't designed for that level of load, so if one fails when connected to a NAS, the manufacturer has the right to consider it misuse.
NAS drives are designed for 24/7/365 operation.
NAS drives are developed to withstand harsher operating environments. Desktop drives don't have specific endurance figures, but the WD Red Plus is advertised at 180TB/year, while the WD Red Pro reaches 550TB/year. This is the amount of data the drive can sustainably read/write over an entire year.
In addition to durability, NAS drives are also optimized for higher temperatures and vibrations – characteristics of systems with many drives connected simultaneously. Many home NAS systems only have 2–4 drive bays, but many people utilize older rack-mount servers with more than a dozen drive bays, creating a hotter and more vibrating environment than usual.
NAS drives are also designed to run continuously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some NAS devices have uptime of months, even years. This continuous operation, along with high traffic frequency – such as running media servers, home labs, storing photos, and personal services – puts immense pressure on the hard drives, and only those designed specifically for NAS can withstand it.
Recommendations for beginners
If you're planning to buy a NAS, you should do some research beforehand to choose the right hard drives. Investing wisely from the start will help the system operate stably in the long run.
If your budget doesn't allow for a brand-new NAS, there are still many cost-effective options. Many users prefer recertified or refurbished drives to reduce costs while maintaining quality. A NAS doesn't necessarily have to be brand-new – you can buy used servers to build your own NAS, or utilize various other devices depending on your needs.
